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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29361393">You can go back</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lockitin/pseuds/Lockitin'>Lockitin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Multi, Returning Home</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:26:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>912</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29361393</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lockitin/pseuds/Lockitin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jughead is back in Riverdale for the first time in six years. For the first time since he spent hours in Pop's waiting for his friends to show up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You can go back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my idea of what happened when Jughead got to Pop's and what happened during the converstion</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There he was, standing in the same parking lot he had stood in countless times before. Staring at the same neon sign that used to be a beacon, calling him to a place he felt safe. But know standing here it just feels like all it brings him is dread. He never thought he would be back here. Not to this town not to this place. And truthfully he still isn’t sure why he came back here. Why did he listened to the voice mail that Archie had left on his phone? He still doesn’t know. </p><p>Archie’s message was that Pop was retiring and he wanted to throw him a party. So that is why he is back, for one man, Pop Tate. The man who always let him sit in that booth no matter how long he was there. The man who would give him free food or coffee when he knew that Jughead didn’t have enough money to pay. The same man who was there for him, no matter what no matter when. It certainly wasn’t for Archie, or the rest of them. He had decided that day 6 years ago when none of them could bother to show up that he was done with this town. And yet here he was back in Riverdale.</p><p>He decides he can’t stand out her all night and even though his conscious is telling him turn around walk away. He can’t, something inside of him won’t let him.  So he heads towards the door, but as he looks through the window all the sudden he stops dead in his tracks. There she is, the person he was dreading seeing more than anyone else, Betty. His heart races and hurts all at the same time. </p><p>Across from her in the booth is Veronica, looking like well Veronica. But where is Archie? He looks through the other windows but still does not see him. Now he is questioning if he can do this, he had told himself it won’t be so bad with all four of them there. He could just sit there be quite not talk and get through this. Just a couple of days and he would be back to New York he had told himself.</p><p> He thinks about turning around, or hiding and waiting for Archie to arrive. So that he could stick to his original plan of not talking to anyone. But it is too late,  Veronica has seen him through the window. Then Betty turns to see what she is looking at. And all the sudden she is looking at him, she is just a beautiful as the last time he saw her. With those beautiful green eyes and her new longer hair. Jughead immediately drops his eyes to his shoes, he can’t do this, he just can’t. He has so many emotions running through him right now, heartache, betrayal, anger, love. Love, the last one that is the problem because no matter how much he tries, he can’t stop loving her. </p><p>Jughead takes a deep and steading breath and opens the door. And the next thing he knows his is sitting in the booth next to Betty. He doesn’t know why he sat there, Veronica’s side had plenty of room. Maybe it was an old habit, maybe it was his subconscious telling him this is where he is supposed to be.  </p><p>He doesn’t say anything. He can see Betty looking at him out of the corner of his eye, but he can’t even bring himself to look at her, it hurts too much. So he just sits there staring down at his coffee cup. It‘s quiet, none of them knows what to say.  Suddenly the silence interrupted by Veronica saying that Archie and Toni are there. They both sit next to Veronica and suddenly everyone is there in that booth like they were so many times before. Jughead slouches into the booth and just stares at the coffee cup in front of him. All he can think about is how he would rather be anywhere else in the world right now. </p><p>Archie starts talking saying he knows they all came back for Pop’s retirement. Then all the sudden he starts in about how he needs their help to save Riverdale. Jughead can’t believe what he is hearing. He didn’t come back for this, he could care less if this town burned to the ground. The rage starts bubbling inside him. Not only because he feels he was tricked into coming back here but also because of the person sitting across from him. Archie, the man that is half responsible for all of Jughead’s heat break. The man he said he forgave but never really did.</p><p>Jughead can’t take it anymore. He can’t sit here again and listen to Archie and he hero complex. Suddenly he stands up, the anger is bubbling out. He looks at Archie and says “I came back her for Pop, not this town and not any of you!” Then he leaves, walks right out of Pop’s and keeps walking. He has no idea where he is going he just knows he has got to get away from here.  </p><p>Back inside Pop comes over to the table to refill their coffee. Archie has a shocked look on his face, Veronica is whispering with Toni, and Betty is looking out the window wiping tears from her face. “He’ll be back.” Pop says “Just give him some time.”</p>
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